Ask any ardent coffee lover and you would know how this caffeine kick is crucial to increase the mental alertness. Undoubtedly, drinking coffee has many benefits as it is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.
However, the levels of caffeine in your blood could affect the amount of body fat you carry. According to scientists, this means that these levels can determine your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
In 2023 study, scientists used genetic markers to establish a more definitive link between caffeine levels, BMI, and type 2 diabetes risk. The study was conducted by the research team, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Bristol in the UK, and Imperial College London in the UK.
The said calorie-free caffeinated drinks could be explored as a potential means of helping reduce body fat levels. These researchers found that calorie-free caffeinated drinks could be explored as a potential means of helping reduce body fat levels.
“Genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with lower BMI and whole body fat mass. Furthermore, genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Approximately half of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes liability was estimated to be mediated through BMI reduction,” the researchers wrote in their paper, published in March 2023 as quoted by Science Alert.
While conducting the study, the researchers analysed data from just under 10,000 people collected from existing genetic databases. The team focused on variations in or near specific genes known to be associated with the speed at which caffeine is broken down.
According to a report by Science Alert, Mendelian randomization was used to determine likely causal relationships between the presence of the variations, illnesses like diabetes, body mass, and lifestyle factors.
The researchers found that while there was a significant link between caffeine levels, BMI, and type 2 diabetes risk, no relationship emerged between the amount of caffeine in the blood and cardiovascular diseases including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.
However, although drinking coffee has many benefits, it is important to be mindful of how much cups of coffee you are consuming in a day. Meanwhile, the study also highlighted that how much caffeine is ideal.
“Small, short term trials have shown that caffeine intake results in weight and fat mass reduction, but the long term effects of caffeine intake is unknown,” the researchers explained.
However, more research will be needed to confirm cause and effect. “Considering the extensive intake of caffeine worldwide, even its small metabolic effects could have important health implications,” the researchers wrote as quoted by Science Alert.
The research was published in BMJ Medicine.